Interesting Case - Cytology
Dr Tamil Nila M
Case History
A 43 year old male came with complaints of Anterior chest wall
swelling that was rapidly progressing in size for the past 1.5 months
Radiology report
• Large pleural based mass lesion measuring 12 x 10 cm in the right
chest wall
• Compression of the right lung with erosion of 2nd , 3rd and 4th ribs.
• Impression:
• Picture of Mesothelioma
FNAC
Microscopy
• Smears studied show scattered and clusters of pleomorphic
plasmacytoid cells with eccentrically placed nucleus in a
haemorrhagic background
• Smears positive for malignancy
• Kindly do tissue biopsy for confirmation and further evaluation
DD – Pleural based lesions
• Mesothelioma
• Solitary fibrous Tumour
• Plasmacytoma
• Metastases
Mesothelial cells
• Single & small clusters
• Uniform
• Window
• Round cells
• Round, central/eccentrically
placed nuclei
• Prominent nucleoli
• Well defined cytoplasmic border
• Cytoplasmic blebs
Cytochemistry
Alcian Blue
PAS
Immunocytochemistry
Calretinin
Mesothelioma
• Pattern
• Spherical clusters with knobby edges
• Papillae like clusters
• Dissociated cells
• Cell in cell (cannibalism)
• Mesothelial cell morphology
• Enlarged cells
• Low N:C Ratio
• Binucleation/ Multinucleation
• Centrally placed nucleus with large prominent nucleoli (macronucleoli)
• Condensed cytoplasm with ring-like peripheral clear zone
Solitary fibrous tumour
• Bloody aspirate
• Oval to elongated spindle cells
• Short fascicles
• Scanty cytoplasm
• Elongated spindle-shaped nucleus with pointed ends
• Reticular nuclear chromatin
• Naked nuclei and ropy collagen in the background
Plasmacytoma
• Many plasma cells
• Uniformly dispersed
• Single cell presentation
• Variable cell differentiation
Metastases
Male Female
Lung
Hematological malignancy
Gastrointestinal Malignancy
Breast
Lung
Gynecological
GIT
Malignant cells - Features
• Cell Arrangement
• Cannon ball-like tight 3D clusters
• Papillary clusters
• Single (Small cell Ca lung)
• Small rows (Lobular Ca Breast)
• Cytoplasm
• Vacuolated
• Keratin (SCC)
• Mucous (Adeno Carcinoma)
• Melanin (Melanoma)
Malignant cells – features
• Nucleus
• High N:C ratio
• Large
• Plemorphic
• Irregular nuclear margin
• Prominent nucleoli
• Coarse chromatin
• Mitosis
• Tripolar mitosis
• Cannibalism
• Psammoma bodies
Squamous cell carcinoma
• Small clusters / discrete cell population
• Keratinising SCC – Polyhedral Cells
• Non Keratinising SCC – Oval cells
• Cytoplasm: Dense & Orangeophilic
• Nucleus: Hyperchromatic
• Inconspicuous nucleoli
• Cytoplasmic Vacuoles – Degenerative changes
Adenocarcinoma
• Two cell population
• Tight spherical ball like clusters of cells
• Nuclear overlappin & Crowding
• Cell Cannibalism
• Bi or Multinucleation present
• Prominent nucleoli
• Vacuolated cytoplasm
Small cell lung carcinoma
• Arrangement: Small clusters/ Discrete/ Small
Chains
• 2 X Diameter of Lymphocyte
• Scanty Cytoplasm
• Nuclear molding/ Angulations
• Granular chromatin
• Inconspicous Nucleoli
References
• Bibbo M., Wilbur D. Comprehensive Cytopathology .2015
• Orell and sterretts Fine needle aspiration cytology, 5th-edition
• Diagnostic Cytology, Pranab dey
• Atlas of Serous Fluid Cytopathology, Arthur I Spriggs

Pleura Cytology

  • 1.
    Interesting Case -Cytology Dr Tamil Nila M
  • 2.
    Case History A 43year old male came with complaints of Anterior chest wall swelling that was rapidly progressing in size for the past 1.5 months
  • 5.
    Radiology report • Largepleural based mass lesion measuring 12 x 10 cm in the right chest wall • Compression of the right lung with erosion of 2nd , 3rd and 4th ribs. • Impression: • Picture of Mesothelioma
  • 6.
  • 8.
    Microscopy • Smears studiedshow scattered and clusters of pleomorphic plasmacytoid cells with eccentrically placed nucleus in a haemorrhagic background • Smears positive for malignancy • Kindly do tissue biopsy for confirmation and further evaluation
  • 9.
    DD – Pleuralbased lesions • Mesothelioma • Solitary fibrous Tumour • Plasmacytoma • Metastases
  • 10.
    Mesothelial cells • Single& small clusters • Uniform • Window • Round cells • Round, central/eccentrically placed nuclei • Prominent nucleoli • Well defined cytoplasmic border • Cytoplasmic blebs Cytochemistry Alcian Blue PAS Immunocytochemistry Calretinin
  • 11.
    Mesothelioma • Pattern • Sphericalclusters with knobby edges • Papillae like clusters • Dissociated cells • Cell in cell (cannibalism) • Mesothelial cell morphology • Enlarged cells • Low N:C Ratio • Binucleation/ Multinucleation • Centrally placed nucleus with large prominent nucleoli (macronucleoli) • Condensed cytoplasm with ring-like peripheral clear zone
  • 12.
    Solitary fibrous tumour •Bloody aspirate • Oval to elongated spindle cells • Short fascicles • Scanty cytoplasm • Elongated spindle-shaped nucleus with pointed ends • Reticular nuclear chromatin • Naked nuclei and ropy collagen in the background
  • 13.
    Plasmacytoma • Many plasmacells • Uniformly dispersed • Single cell presentation • Variable cell differentiation
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Malignant cells -Features • Cell Arrangement • Cannon ball-like tight 3D clusters • Papillary clusters • Single (Small cell Ca lung) • Small rows (Lobular Ca Breast) • Cytoplasm • Vacuolated • Keratin (SCC) • Mucous (Adeno Carcinoma) • Melanin (Melanoma)
  • 16.
    Malignant cells –features • Nucleus • High N:C ratio • Large • Plemorphic • Irregular nuclear margin • Prominent nucleoli • Coarse chromatin • Mitosis • Tripolar mitosis • Cannibalism • Psammoma bodies
  • 17.
    Squamous cell carcinoma •Small clusters / discrete cell population • Keratinising SCC – Polyhedral Cells • Non Keratinising SCC – Oval cells • Cytoplasm: Dense & Orangeophilic • Nucleus: Hyperchromatic • Inconspicuous nucleoli • Cytoplasmic Vacuoles – Degenerative changes
  • 18.
    Adenocarcinoma • Two cellpopulation • Tight spherical ball like clusters of cells • Nuclear overlappin & Crowding • Cell Cannibalism • Bi or Multinucleation present • Prominent nucleoli • Vacuolated cytoplasm
  • 19.
    Small cell lungcarcinoma • Arrangement: Small clusters/ Discrete/ Small Chains • 2 X Diameter of Lymphocyte • Scanty Cytoplasm • Nuclear molding/ Angulations • Granular chromatin • Inconspicous Nucleoli
  • 20.
    References • Bibbo M.,Wilbur D. Comprehensive Cytopathology .2015 • Orell and sterretts Fine needle aspiration cytology, 5th-edition • Diagnostic Cytology, Pranab dey • Atlas of Serous Fluid Cytopathology, Arthur I Spriggs